Grade 9 quarterback Jon Garvie is showing all the maturity of a graduating senior this football season.
Garvie, who was an emergency replacement with the senior AA VSS Panthers a week ago, tossed for three touchdowns as the Cats slammed the Seaton Sonics 38-6 in Southern Interior Junior Varsity Football League action Tuesday at MacDonald Park.
Garvie completed 11 of 14 attempts for 158 yards, including a 50-yard bomb to Travis Froom in the first half. Zac Kronbauer, on a 50-yard run, and Andy Hladik, on a five-yard plunge, made it 22-0 VSS at the break.
A Garvie to Kronbauer 50-yard TD pass and run put VSS up 30-0 in the third quarter. A late interception return by feisty corner Zac Hyer finished the VSS scoring.
Kronbauer finished with 238 total yards, while Tye Thomas led the Cats’ receivers with five catches, including three two-point converts.
Froom ignited the defence with six tackles, while Hladik had five. Braydon Lodder and Brandon Richter were huge in controlling the line of scrimmage in the second half.
“This was the most complete game for the boys all season,” said VSS offensive co-ordinator Tim Thorpe. “The team is healthy and excited heading into the final regular-season game next week (Tuesday) versus Fulton. Seaton was very aggressive on stopping the run so offensively, we had to adjust. Jon Garvie was fabulous throwing the ball today.”
Head coach Dave Tetrault was impressed how some younger players stepped up, noting Mike Smith for superior blocking and Ryan Ryder for solid defensive moves.
Quarterback Micah Lockhart scored on a nine-yard run for the youthful Sonics.
“Our young guys have really improved this season,” said Seaton coach Ryan Reid. “With a situation like this, I think it’s important for the kids to understand that having fun and learning is the most important thing at the end of the day. I haven’t spotted any NFL scouts in the trees beside our field, so the kids understand that mistakes are still okay in Grade 8 or 9.”
Reid, who quarterbacked the University of Saskatchewan Huskies to the 1998 Vanier Cup, likes Lockhart’s moxy.
“Micah Lockhart has impressed me all year. I’ve asked a lot of him, as I do all QBs. He’s such a tough kid. He’s never afraid to put his head down and get dirty; he certainly didn’t learn that from me.”
In other Tuesday junior varsity play, the Fulton Maroons steamrolled the host South Kamloops Titans 40-14.
Layne Greene ran back a 65-yard punt and a 62-yard interception for touchdowns, while Brandon Issac scored on a one-yard rush and a 40-yard punt return.
Davron Polok scored on a 15-yard rush, Max Chapman pulled in a 24-yard TD pass from Tye Kitzman.
On the ground, Polok tallied 67 yards on a dozen touches, while Greene racked up 44 yards on six runs and Chapman had five carries for 29 yards. Kitzman was 4-for-6 passing for 86 yards with Caleb McCuaig pulling in three catches for 62 yards.
Polok led the Maroons with 13 tackles, while Trevor Feeney made 10, Ryan Buick six and Eric Braun and McCuaig four apiece. Feeney also had one pick, while Darrien Broomfield gobbled up a fumble recovery.
“We are playing very well as a team,” said Fulton coach Mike Scheller. “The punt return team was very good, giving us a huge boost with two scores. We had three TD returns, and that is the mark of a dynamic team.”
